The Beast is rife with a variety of delightful cuisines, comparing favorably, often superiorly, to "The City." One laggard area, however, is hamburgers. Sadly, Beasties think Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers are just that, when, in fact, they're decent meat slathered in gimmick-y toppings. I mean, Joe, from Joe's Cable Car Diner, would kick Barney's ass in a ground-off.
Still, I held out hope -- we've got better barbecue, so we must have some good burgers, right?
I went to Citysearch for pointers, and tonight decided to try The Smokehouse. The readers there raved, and I'd gone past that spot innumerable times, beginning during my undergraduate years, and again recently when I moved back to the Beast.
The Smokehouse is most notable for being a free-standing walk-up burger joint. Many folks get their grub to go, though you can sit at a picnic table and eat on the spot.
I should have sensed trouble when the answer to my question, "What kind of cheese do you use?" was met with the singular reply, "American." Still, I soldiered ahead, ordering a hamburger "deluxe" (meaning lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo), with a side of fries and a chocolate malt.
My burger was ready after not long, and I took it to a bench to enjoy. Upon peeling back the paper, I was horrified. The patty was a wastrel-thin slab of grey meet, cooked to ensure that any flavor or juice had been removed. The burger sat atop a chunk of flavorless iceberg lettuce, relish, and mustard. (Anyone who knows burgers know that a good burger needs no mustard and relish -- those are dressings to bring flavor to a bland patty.)
The first bite supported my trepidation. The taste was comparable to McDonald's Big 'n Tasty, and nearly three times the price. The fries, though well cooked, had that odd chemical-ly flavor of a potato frozen too long. The chocolate malt was good, though too thick to drink through a straw.
In all, a disappointing experience. I'm quite surprised that the otherwise food-picky people of Berkeley seem to have been taken in by the venue's antiquity ("Since 1951"). I fear Berkeley is just not a burger town. And more's the shame.
Posted by peterme at February 28, 2003 09:32 PM | TrackBackOh! Fear not - I think Oscar's on Shattuck will rescue you from the feeling that Berkeley is not a burger town. That place serves thin fries, thin patties and fat arteries - the very essence of non-gourmet meat eating.
Posted by: Justin at March 17, 2003 09:49 AMi have to confess, without contradicting any details of peter's account (which are all, sadly, true), that i rather like the Smokehouse. the grey-ish meat is indeed merely a vehicle for condiments, but there's something about the humility of the experience that gets me.
also (and this has been a theme for me recently) they are open past midnight, which is fantastic.
but for a really good hamburger you should get the Cafe Rouge (Berkeley, 4th street) burger with grilled onions. they use Niman Ranch. mmmm.
Posted by: jane at March 18, 2003 01:05 PMHell yeah! I'm so glad someone else out there agrees with me about the smokehouse, and how overrated they are. But does anyone have other suggestions, other than those already suggested? How about, "I suggest you get a thesauraus"? Nope - I've tried those burgers: no good.
Posted by: Lil B at May 6, 2003 05:36 PMI'm looking forward to your suggestion.
Posted by: dumby check stub at February 3, 2006 06:39 AMMike Furir Mike 988
Posted by: Mike Furir 998 at March 7, 2006 07:48 AM